‘Supply priest’ served many Isle parishes
By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Father Joseph Louis Carroll, the Oklahoma-born former military chaplain who served numerous parishes in Hawaii for more than four decades, died Jan. 11 at Hale Nani Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Honolulu. He was 90.
His funeral is 6 p.m., Feb. 8, at the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace preceded by a 4-6 p.m. visitation period. Bishop Larry Silva will preside. Father Paul Smith will be the homilist.
Father Carroll will be buried at 10 a.m., Feb. 9, at Hawaiian Memorial Park in Kaneohe.
Known for his friendly smile, relaxed way and droll sense of humor, Father Carroll was a familiar and welcome presence at the many parishes he assisted.
“He was always very supportive of the other priests and lay people” of his adoptive diocese, vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor said.
For many years a “supply” priest, filling in where needed, “he was very willing to go almost everywhere,” from parishes in Honolulu to the parochial “outposts” on Pahala and Naalehu on the Big Island and Hana on Maui, Msgr. Secor said.
“Local pastors and parishioners appreciated the fact that he was so willing to pitch in where he could,” the monsignor said.
Father Carroll’s friend and fellow former military chaplain, Father Paul Smith, described Father Carroll as a kind, dependable, principled priest.
“Joe lived through the Second Vatican II and saw it as a defining event in the Catholic Church,” Father Smith said.
“He adjusted to all changes and refused to revert to the old liturgy,” he said. “When Joe met a newly appointed bishop of Honolulu, he told the bishop that he would do anything the bishop asked. The bishop immediately asked him to celebrate the Latin Mass. Joe replied, ‘Bishop, anything but that.’”
As a U.S. Air Force chaplain stationed at the Tan Son Nhut Airbase near Saigon in Vietnam, Father Smith said, Father Carroll took on dangerous assignments bringing the sacraments, plus food, medical supplies and money to outlying missions.
“Joe loved the people in the parishes to which he was assigned and in retirement enjoyed meeting new people in different parishes where he functioned as ‘supply’ priest,” Father Smith said. “Pastors knew he was a dependable replacement in their absences.”
“In all those years I never heard Joe criticize anyone or speak badly of anyone: bishop, fellow priest, layman,” he said. “He had something positive to say about everyone.”
Father Carroll was born on Oct. 28, 1926, in Ponca City, Oklahoma, one of three children of James Moore Carroll and Maria Augusta Gellert Carroll.
He was ordained on May 21, 1955, at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
After 20 years of military service, including four and a half years at the Hickam Air Force Base Mental Health Clinic, he came to the Diocese of Honolulu on June 25, 1975, and was incardinated 10 years later on July 14, 1985.
In his 42 years as a parish priest in Hawaii, from 1975 and past his retirement in 1996, he served as an associate pastor, pastor, parish administrator and supply priest.
He earned a bachelors’ degree in psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu in 1978 and a master’s degree in counseling and guidance, at the University of Northern Colorado in 1980.
In Hawaii, the parishes Father Carroll served included St. John Apostle and Evangelist in Mililani, St. Rita in Nanakuli, St. Anthony Church in Kailua, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Honokaa where he was pastor for three years, St. Mary Church in Hana, St. Elizabeth in Aiea, the Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa, St. George Church in Waimanalo, St. Anthony Church in Waihee, Maui, Immaculate Conception Church in Ewa, and others.
